Kwesi Nyantakyi backs Otto Addo to succeed as Black Stars coach

Former president of the Ghana Football Association Kwesi Nyantakyi says Otto Addo can take the Black Stars to their best level should he be given the right support to operate at his own pace.

Otto Addo guided Ghana to its fourth World Cup appearance in 2022 by defeating Nigeria in the final qualification playoff.

However, despite this achievement, the team’s performance fell short during the tournament’s group stages. Consequently, Addo stepped down as he had a contract with Borussia Dortmund at that time.

However, the GFA reappointed Otto Addo as Ghana’s new head coach after the BlackStars’ disastrous showdown at the 2023 African Cup of Nations that led to the sacking of Chris Hughton, and Nyantakyi believes Otto Addo will achieve great things should he be given the support he needs.

“I believe that Otto Addo can manage the team provided he gets the right support. He has been a player of the Black Stars before. He is part of the the squad that played in the 2006 World Cup Cup and 2014 we brought him back as a scout and later he came as a coach or assistant coach in the World Cup. He has come back and i believe if we rally him the support that he desires, he can do well”, he told 3Sportsin an exclusive interview.

The Black Stars featured in two international friendlies under Otto Addo in March 2024 and failed to record a victory, losing 2-1 to Nigeria and sharing the spoils with Uganda in a 2-2 result.

Otto Addo faces a daunting task in the Black Stars’s next assignment as they face Mali in June in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Although the odds look against the Black Stars, Nyantakyi is hopeful that a good result can be attained with support for the team in not just that fixture, but in subsequent matches as well.